Chapter 107 Detective ○○○
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Early in July, I got a message from Yuina-chan.
”Lately, I feel like someone strange has been following me, and I’m scared,” she said.
”Like a stalker?” I asked.
”I’m not really sure, but they follow me to my apartment a few times a week. What should I do?” Yuina-chan replied.
It might be best to report it to the police, but they probably wouldn’t move without solid evidence. Since it could just be a mistake, I thought it was better to check first. So, I went to Yuina-chan’s place after university. Because she’s a girl living alone, I had Mayu come along. She lives in the same apartment, and maybe she knows something.
”What kind of person is it?” Mayu asked.
”I haven’t looked closely, so I don’t know, but he’s older than my brother and always wears a suit,” Yuina-chan said.
Yuina-chan’s brother is four years older than me, so anyone older than him would be a worker at least twenty-five years old.
”Male office workers live here too, so we can’t tell just from that,” I noted.
Yuina-chan said that a month ago, she noticed someone following her from the subway station. Since Yuina-chan came from a small mountain town¹, I felt like she might be overreacting.
”Maybe they just happen to be going the same way?”
”I thought so too, but when I stop and look back, they stop too. The other day, I got scared and went into a convenience store, and they waited outside. It’s definitely suspicious,” Yuina-chan said.
”What did you do then?” I asked.
”I ran home, so I don’t know. Hiro-chan, what if it’s a stalker?”
”Has anything been done to you?”
”Nothing at all.”
”Is anyone hanging around outside, looking into your room?”
”I don’t know.”
”If that was happening, I think the people in the building would notice, but I haven’t heard anything ssu,” Mayu said.
I started to think it was just a misunderstanding. But just in case, I decided to watch when I had time. I walked behind Yuina-chan from the subway station, but many people in suits were going the same way. I called Yuina-chan and had her stop, but no one else stopped with her. To make sure I wasn’t mistaken for a stalker, I had Mayu come along, and that’s when I saw a man in a suit enter the building.
”Is he a resident?” I asked.
”I don’t know everyone, so I’m not sure ssu,” Mayu replied.
I ran to the apartment. No one was at the elevator; it went to the fourth floor—where Yuina-chan lives—and came back down. Mayu caught up, and we went to Yuina-chan’s room, but the man was gone. That night, Yuina-chan stayed in Mayu’s room just to be safe.
* * *
The next week, I saw a man who looked like the one from the building. I called Yuina-chan and had her stop; the man stopped and took out his phone. When I walked past him, I saw he wasn’t even using it. He was very suspicious.
I stopped at a convenience store and called Mayu.
”I’m at the store now. Need me to buy anything?”
”I’ll go down and wait for Yuina-chan ssu,” Mayu said.
I followed the man after he went ahead. He looked around and tried to enter the building, but stopped. Mayu and Yuina-chan were right there by the elevator.
”Good evening, Hirokazu-kun ssu,” Mayu called out.
The man turned around, saw me, and looked shocked.
”Is something wrong?” I asked.
”No, nothing,” the man said.
He tried to pass me, so I grabbed his arm.
”What are you doing? Let go!”
”You’ve been following her, haven’t you?”
”It’s just a coincidence!”
”Then why did you stop when she did? Why did you stop before entering the building? It’s weird, right?”
”It’s none of your business!” he snapped.
”Mayu, call the police,” I said.
The man tried to run, but I held him tight. He couldn’t get away.
”Let me make a call,” he said.
”Just don’t run,” I replied.
While I held his arm, he called someone.
”It’s me. Come down for a bit. …Yeah. …I’ll tell you why when you get here… Yeah… Sorry.”
A woman slightly older than me came down the stairs soon after.
”Tacchan, what’s wrong? Who are these people?”
His name was Tacchan—maybe Tatsuya or something.
”It seems I was mistaken for a stalker,” Tacchan said, scratching his head.
”You acted like one. She’s my relative and was scared, so she asked me for help. What is your relationship?” I asked.
The two looked awkward. I felt it was a secret relationship. He probably knew Yuina-chan lived there and was trying not to be seen.
”Is it an affair ssu?” Mayu asked directly.
”Just let it go,” he said.
She was right. Tacchan shook off my hand, and the two went up the stairs. The ‘stalker’ was just a man having an affair. When I told Manami, she gave me a warning.
”It’s fine with Yuzuki and the others, but if you do anything with other women, I won’t forgive you,” she said (sweatdrop).
Later, Mayu told me that the woman moved out a short while after that.
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Summary:
Yuina-chan fears she’s being stalked. Hirokazu and Mayu investigate by tailing her. They catch a suspicious man who turns out to be a resident having a secret affair. The mystery is solved, but Manami gives Hirokazu a stern warning.
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Character Insight:
Hirokazu shows his protective nature for his family. Mayu’s bluntness (ssu) helps solve the case quickly by calling out the affair. Yuina-chan’s rural innocence makes her a target for urban misunderstandings.
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Behind the Scene:
The title ‘Detective ○○○’ refers to Hirokazu’s amateur sleuthing. The use of ‘ssu’ by Mayu highlights her casual, slightly tomboyish or polite-informal speech common in light novels.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Yuina – The second daughter of Hirokazu’s mother’s cousin. She is a vocational school student preparing to take over her family’s hot spring inn.
• Mayu – A female student and member of Hirokazu’s study group. She lives in a rental apartment/condo. Hirokazu is her third sexual partner.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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